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Mar 18: Happy Sunshine Week from Ohio Citizen Action!
COLUMBUS -- Sunshine Week is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. It is your right to know about the inner workings of government. It's not enough to just vote or watch from the sidelines. The Money in Politics Project challenges all Ohioans to become more active in the next 30 days. We need more eyes on government. There are many different ways to participate. There are hearings scheduled next week at the Statehouse and in the Ohio Senate Building. City Council meetings and school board meetings are also open to the public. Public officials keep records of meetings and their decision-making process and it is your right to examine those records. The Toledo Blade editorialized yesterday, "During Sunshine Week — and every other week — public officials need to be reminded that they cannot conceal public information or meet in secret merely because they think doing their business openly would be inconvenient, expensive, or embarrassing. If their constituents don’t remind them, who will?", Catherine Turcer, Ohio Citizen Action.
Sunshine Week
Sunshine Laws
Mar 17: Columbus on the Record
Friday, March 12th, 2010
Panelists: Darrel Rowland, The Columbus Dispatch; Julie Carr Smyth, The Associated Press; Catherine Turcer, Ohio Citizen Action; Mark Weaver, Republican Strategist.
Likely Topics: Employee Background Checks; Campaign News; Ohio and Climate Change Legislation; Bowling Alleys want slot machines
Mar 16: Husted wants corporate funds disclosed
COLUMBUS -- "If unions and corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money trying to influence elections in Ohio, state legislators say they at least should do it in the open.
Sen. Jon Husted, a Kettering Republican and candidate for secretary of state, yesterday proposed new disclosure requirements to deal with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows corporations and unions to spend unlimited cash to help elect or defeat candidates. A week earlier, House Democrats introduced their own plan.
'While the Supreme Court ruled that corporations and unions have the right to free speech, we should take steps to ensure there is proper disclosure of these expenditures,' Husted said. The court 'did not rule that they had a right to anonymous free speech,'" Jim Siegel, The Columbus Dispatch.
Senator Husted's Letter to President Harris and Speaker Budish
Mar 16: Census brings money home
Local offficials urge residents to fill out forms arriving soon
COLUMBUS -- "Your census form is now in the mail, and filling it out could mean a bigger check in the mail to local governments and programs, a group of local officials said yesterday.... The Census Bureau estimates that more than $400 billion per year is doled out based on per-capita formulas influenced by the census, said Ohio Treasurer Kevin L. Boyce, chairman of Ohio's Complete Count Campaign. That's about $1,300 for each person in the nation.
Also, the census is used to determine how many seats each state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives for the next decade, Boyce said," Bill Bush, The Columbus Dispatch.
Mar 16: Challenger in state treasurer's race questions whether delay in awarding state contracts will boost incumbent's fund-raising efforts
CLEVELAND -- "State Rep. Josh Mandel is questioning whether Treasurer Kevin Boyce is waiting to sign a group of state banking contracts as a way to raise more money to win election in November.
The State Board of Deposit, which Boyce chairs, recently postponed a decision to choose banks the state will do business with because it needs more time to review the contract proposals, a spokeswoman for Boyce said.
But Mandel, a Lyndhurst Republican running to unseat Boyce, a Democrat, said the new April 29 deadline seems suspicious because it is one week after candidates must file campaign finance reports," Joe Guillen, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Vice President Joe Biden visits Cleveland to raise money for Gov. Ted Strickland
Pat Galbincea, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Mar 16: AG candidate fighting his disqualification
COLUMBUS -- "Would-be Ohio attorney general candidate Steve Christopher says Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner failed to process petition forms that could have put him on the May 4 primary ballot, and he’s turned to the Ohio Supreme Court to try to prove it.
Christopher, who is seeking to run in the Republican primary for attorney general with former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, filed a lawsuit today asking for a court order to require that Brunner send 140 petition forms with 1,548 signatures to county boards of elections to validate.
Brunner’s office is opposing the lawsuit, saying all of the petition forms that Christopher turned in were sent to the counties, and that Christopher failed to submit enough signatures to qualify for the ballot," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.
Mar 15: Documents shed light on Cole hiring
COLUMBUS -- "At least 641,000 Ohioans can't find work, according to the latest unemployment figures.
But one Ohioan, Cincinnati Councilwoman Laketa Cole, had little problem this week landing a $78,354-a-year job - just a week after pulling her name out of a potentially divisive Statehouse primary that Democrats wanted to avoid.
'What's really awful is I'm not surprised,' said Catherine Turcer, legislative director with Ohio Citizen Action, a non-profit watchdog group. 'That doesn't mean it's right,'" Jon Craig, Cincinnati Enquirer.
Mar 15: What is Sunshine week?
COLUMBUS -- "Sunshine Week is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include print, broadcast and online news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know....
Though spearheaded by journalists, Sunshine Week is about the public's right to know what its government is doing, and why. Sunshine Week seeks to enlighten and empower people to play an active role in their government at all levels, and to give them access to information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger.
Sunshine Week is a nonpartisan initiative whose supporters are conservative, liberal and everything in between," Sunshineweek.org.
Local officials don't fight records requests
Russ Zimmer, The news_messenger.com
Mar 15: Feds seek further sale of voting-machine systems
COLUMBUS -- "For the second time in less than a year, the voting systems used in more than half of Ohio's counties are expected to be sold to a different company.
The U.S. Justice Department, citing a need to restore competition in the voting-equipment market, announced this week it is requiring Election Systems & Software to sell the former Diebold election assets that ES&S acquired last fall.
Critics said Nebraska-based ES&S had too much control over the market - including over systems used in all but two Ohio counties after the purchase - and the Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against ES&S," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.
Mar 12: Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason assembles campaign finance reform committee
CLEVELAND -- "A much-anticipated effort to reform campaign finance under Cuyahoga County's new charter government will begin next week with a panel considering sweeping changes.
Eight good-government advocates will start by looking at caps on campaign spending, restrictions on contributions from county employees and contractors and public financing of races, county Prosecutor Bill Mason said Thursday.... Panel member Catherine Turcer, who heads the Money in Politics project for the Ohio Citizen Action watchdog group, stressed the need to restrict contributions from public employees, file campaign reports online and register lobbyists.
'We want government, when it makes mistakes, to clean up their act,' she said. 'This process is all about righting the ship and getting things organized. I'm really hopeful,'" Laura Johnston, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Mar 12: Editorial: Arrogance in Cole Deal
COLUMBUS -- "Those who believe politicians to be a clueless and callous lot were handed a juicy Exhibit A on Thursday when the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) announced it was hiring Cincinnati City Councilwoman Laketa Cole as its head of "reliability and service analysis," effective June 7.... According to Democratic officials, the only hang-up to the deal, which came to light recently, was the salary attached to Cole's new job. Evidently, Cole got the figure she wanted - $78,354, slightly more than Reece made as assistant director of travel and tourism before being appointed to the 33rd District House seat last week. So there.... This may be penny ante stuff compared to places like Cuyahoga County, where a full-blown culture of patronage has been exposed recently - politicians giving public jobs and raises to each other's friends and relatives as payoffs in what Catherine Turcer of watchdog group Ohio Citizen Action called a 'round robin of gifts and perks and all at the expense of taxpayers,'" Cincinnati Enquirer.
Mar 12: Citizens United ruling should also concern conservatives
WASHINGTON DC -- "That's why both parties should join to pass a bill that Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., hope to introduce this week placing some rules around the new electoral casino that the Roberts court has opened. The proposal is expected to win Republican co-sponsorship. And it should.
The measure does not try to overturn the court's ruling. Instead, it puts boundaries around this precedent-shattering decision and might make executives think twice before unleashing their companies' treasuries. It would also limit the capacity of politicians to work out cozy deals with business, and thereby help prevent extortion and other forms of corruption.
Its provisions would require full and timely disclosure of corporate political expenditures, and make it as difficult as possible for companies to hide efforts to influence elections by funneling their money through front groups. Corporations would have to disclose political expenditures to their shareholders and make them public, through links on their Web sites and in their annual reports," E.J. Dionne, The Morning Journal.
More on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision (Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission)
Mar 12: Ohio college students get online help for voting
COLUMBUS -- "Ohio's college students now have a one-stop internet site for answers to questions on how, where and when to vote.
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner unveiled the College Vote Ohio website that includes information on registering to vote, absentee ballots to download and mail in, and directions to polling locations anywhere in the state.
The information is geared for both for Ohio residents going to school in or out of state, as well as out-of-state students enrolled in Ohio colleges and universities," Joan Mazzolini, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Mar 12: Ohio House Democrats propose ban on business donations to campaigns
COLUMBUS -- "In the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that opened up corporate involvement in political campaigns, Ohio House Democrats want to close the door for companies that do significant business with the state.
The goal of the proposal is to avoid having companies take the money they collect from major state contracts and turn around and give that money to the state officeholders who influence the contracting process. The ban would kick in if more than 10percent of a company's revenue comes from state contracts.... The proposal also would require the governing boards of corporations and unions to specifically authorize campaign spending, and require disclosure of any paid political advertising," Jim Siegel, The Columbus Dispatch.
More on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision (Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission)
Mar 11: NH campaign finance activist Granny D dies at 100
CONCORD, N.H. -- "Doris 'Granny D' Haddock, a New Hampshire woman who walked across the country at age 89 to promote campaign finance reform and later waged a quixotic campaign for U.S. Senate, has died. She was 100.... In 2000, Haddock walked 3,200 miles to draw attention to campaign finance reform. In 2004, at age 94, she ran for U.S. Senate against Republican Judd Gregg. The subtitle of her autobiography, written with Dennis Burke, was 'You're Never Too Old to Raise a Little Hell.'... 'It comes down to this — if you want something done right today, you have to run for Congress yourself — or at least send your grandmother,'" Holly Ramer, Associated Press.
Mar 11: Ohio lawmaker questions productivity of little-known agency rocked by firings
COLUMBUS -- "A controversy over the firing of three employees at a little-known legislative advisory agency has prompted a prominent state lawmaker to question whether the agency does enough work to justify its $650,000 annual budget. Rep. Dan Dodd, who chairs the House Insurance Committee, said he's concerned that the staff of the Workers' Compensation Council, which is supposed to review legislation, only completed one legislative analysis during the five months the council was fully staffed.... The council was created by lawmakers in 2007 following a scandal stemming from the bureau's investments in rare coins, Beanie Babies and other collectibles by former Republican fundraiser Tom Noe, who ended up behind bars for theft and corruption charges. The council's duties include reviewing the soundness of the bureau and legislation affecting it," Aaron Marshall, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Mar 10: Justice Dept.: Census confidentiality laws trump the Patriot Act
WASHINGTON DC -- "Provisions of the Patriot Act pertaining to information-gathering and -sharing do not override federal confidentiality laws when it comes to the U.S. Census, the Justice Department said this week.
The clarification by government lawyers came at the request of minority lawmakers, who were seeking to allay the fears of constituents about the first national headcount since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.... Civil rights leaders said the clarification will help them convince minorities that it is safe to participate in the Census," Ed O'Keefe, Washington Post.
Mar 10: Sen. Brown encourages Ohioans to be counted at Cleveland Rally on 2010 Census
Brown releases analysis showing how much federal funding Ohio could lose under different Census count scenarios
CLEVELAND -- "U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) participated in the 'Non-Profits Count!' rally in Cleveland on Monday. Sponsored by the Cleveland Foodbank, Greater Cleveland United Way, and Neighborhood Connections, the rally sought to raise awareness about the importance of all Ohioans being counted in the 2010 decennial census.... The 'Non-Profits Count!' rally was organized by the You Can Count on Me Ohio Campaign, a cooperative effort launched by the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), Ohio Citizen Action Education Fund, and the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network. The consortium emphas a complete census count, specifically in areas with the highest-concentration of "hard-to-count" census tracts: Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. Hard-to-count census tracts share some demographic indicators such as poverty, unemployment, complex household arrangements, and high mobility. These Ohioans depend and benefit most from the kind of resources and services whose funding is apportioned by the census, like public transportation, mental health services and community development grants," Big News Biz.
Mar 10: 2 dispute ballot disqualification
COLUMBUS -- "Kenton lawyer Steve Christopher, a conservative Republican who had sought Ohio's top legal job, was one of five candidates Brunner scrubbed from the ballot Friday for failing to turn in 1,000 valid signatures of registered Ohio voters.
While three have accepted Brunner's judgment, Christopher and a U.S. Senate hopeful are accusing the state's chief elections official of bungling the signature-verification process. The would-be Senate candidate, Traci 'TJ' Johnson, had hoped to run in the Democratic primary in which Brunner is a candidate.... But Brunner spokesman Jeff Ortega noted that the petition forms Johnson submitted were reviewed not by Brunner but by bipartisan county elections boards, which found that she was 166 signatures short," James Nash, The Columbus Dispatch.
Mar 9: High court puts Brunner's subpoenas on hold
COLUMBUS -- "The Ohio Supreme Court issued an order yesterday putting on hold, pending a final determination, the last of the remaining subpoenas from Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner in a dispute about the funding behind a proposed referendum.... LetOhioVote.org, Crawford and Cummings also argue that the Ohio Elections Commission - not Brunner - has the authority to investigate. LetOhioVote.org reported that New Models contributed $1.55 million last year, but New Models doesn't file campaign reports listing its donors.
The court told both sides to file arguments and responses in the next several days to decide whether Brunner has the legal authority to investigate the matter and issue the subpoenas. She thinks she does, a spokesman said," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.
Mar 8: Foreclosures an added challenge for census
CINCINNATI -- "The 2010 Census presents an unprecedented challenge for census takers: Counting people where they live even as the economy is uprooting them from their homes in record numbers.
The U.S. Census Bureau acknowledges that foreclosures are a people-counting problem, but says there's little they can do other than encourage people to fill out the form completely and follow up with those who don't. The once-a-decade census requires heads of households to report everyone living there as of April 1 - regardless of how they got there or how temporary the situation.... In addition to the census form - which will go out to most households next week - the Census Bureau will send out an advance letter beginning today and a follow-up postcard two weeks later. In census tracts where the response rate is less than 60 percent, a second questionnaire will go out," Gregory Korte, Cincinnati Enquirer.
Mar 8: Mike DeWine foe baffled by ballot ruling
COLUMBUS -- "The battle for the GOP nomination for attorney general might not be over after all.
The campaign of Hardin County attorney Steve Christopher is trying to figure out how the final tally released on Friday, March 5, by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner showed that Christopher turned in just 638 valid signatures to get on the May primary ballot for the Republican attorney general nomination, said Mark Lucas, a campaign spokesman.
It takes 1,000 signatures to qualify and Brunner ruled that only former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville turned in enough signatures to get on the ballot for the GOP attorney general nomination. Brunner made the determination on which candidates qualified based on information provided to her by county boards of elections," William Hershey, Dayton Daily News.
Mar 5: Dix & Eaton bills Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority nearly $50,000 for crisis counseling
CLEVELAND -- "The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority agreed to pay a public relations firm nearly $50,000 in tax dollars last fall to deal with fallout from a secretly negotiated buyout of the agency's chief executive.... 'I don't think a public agency should be hiring a private company to manipulate public opinion,' said Henry Eckhart of Common Cause Ohio. 'They should have just laid their cards on the table. The public is entitled to know what is going on there. It doesn't have to be filtered through some high-priced agency.'
Catherine Turcer of Ohio Citizen Action agreed with Eckhart. She said the high cost might be justified for a private corporation dealing with a crisis such as what Toyota is going through. But not in the case of a taxpayer-subsidized public agency. 'You want them to make the appropriate changes and to communicate how they changed,' Turcer said. 'Instead, what you had here was no explanation of what went wrong or how it happened. This doesn't smell very good,'" James F. McCarty, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Mar 5: Dann, wife may be next up in probe
Workers already visiting those without mail delivery
COLUMBUS -- "Shortly after pleading guilty to two ethics violations arising from his work for former Attorney General Marc Dann, Leo Jennings III sat down with investigators for about two hours yesterday to discuss information that could help build a criminal case against Dann.... Jennings and Edgar C. Simpson, Dann's former chief of staff, both pleaded guilty yesterday to ethics violations in Franklin County Municipal Court. Like Jennings, Simpson agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation that reportedly centers on Dann and the former attorney general's wife, Alyssa Lenhoff.... Dann and Lenhoff are the final two targets in a long-running investigation into possible corruption during Dann's 17 months as Ohio's top lawman. Prosecutors have until May 14 - the two-year anniversary of Dann's resignation - to bring misdemeanor charges against him. Felonies have a six-year statute of limitations," James Nash, The Columbus Dispatch.
2 plead guilty, get fines in Ohio AG flap
Associated Press.
Mar 4: Blog: Whistleblower pushes back
COLUMBUS-- "The state can't punish employees for speaking out about wrongdoing, even if the punishment is only a reprimand, says one state worker who is doggedly fighting the discipline.
Joseph C. Sommer, a lawyer for the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, says he was unfairly punished for alerting the state inspector general to possible improprieties in the selection of a member of the Ohio Industrial Commission.
Sommer received a written reprimand for using his state e-mail account to write the letter. He says that represents punishment of a whistleblower, which is illegal. Sommer is appealing the discipline to the State Personnel Board of Review," James Nash, The Columbus Dispatch.
Mar 4: '10-minute' census forms start to show up at homes
Workers already visiting those without mail delivery
COLUMBUS -- "Most Ohioans can expect the 2010 census questionnaire to land in their mailboxes beginning March 15.
The federal government uses census data to divvy up seats in Congress and distribute about $400 billion annually. It's also used in federal tuition grant and loan programs, so an accurate count of students could mean more money for higher education in the state.... The 2010 census includes 10 questions, and officials say it should take about 10 minutes to complete. Households will be asked to provide key demographic information, including whether a housing unit is rented or owned, the address of the residence and the names, genders, ages and races of others living there. The Census Bureau guarantees that all information is confidential and says it cannot share responses with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement," Dana Wilson, The Columbus Dispatch.
Mar 3: Posters, toolkits, fliers, and more
The Census Bureau has developed a wide array of materials to download and print
either in black and white or color. To help choose what to print for a particular
program activity, there are specifications and a brief description of each item. In
many cases, you also have the option of printing materials in different languages
and formats.
For activity guides, fliers, fact sheets, logos, drop-in articles and other
For toolkits that contain information and resources to help partners
communicate the importance of the census to key groups
For translated posters, fact sheets, and key dates
Mar 3: Moyer: End election of Ohio justices
But Supreme Court colleagues think system is just fine
COLUMBUS -- "Entering the homestretch of his 24-year run as Ohio's top jurist, retiring Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer wants to crown his legacy by changing the way justices get their jobs on the Ohio Supreme Court.... At a conference in November, Moyer and leaders of groups such as the Ohio State Bar Association and the League of Women Voters of Ohio supported a plan to ask voters to amend the constitution, possibly in 2011, to supplant direct election of justices with an appointive process.
Under the system, the governor would fill vacancies on the court by choosing among three candidates who are recommended by a bipartisan panel of lawyers and laypeople. A justice would serve two years and then stand in a retention election with no opponent. Retention elections would be held at regular intervals after that," Joe Hallett and James Nash, The Columbus Dispatch.
Mar 3: Ohio Supreme Court slows investigation of conservative group seeking to block slot machines
COLUMBUS-- "The Ohio Supreme Court has given a small victory to a conservative group seeking to stop an investigation into its funding source by the secretary of state.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner last month launched an investigation and issued subpoenas to members of LetOhioVote, the group formed to block slot machines from being installed at Ohio's horse racing tracks.
LetOhioVote members Thomas Brinkman, Carlo LoParo and Gene Pierce on Monday sued Brunner to stop her probe. And the court on Tuesday temporarily halted Brunner's probe and ordered both sides to submit information backing up their positions," Reginald Fields, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Anti-slots group: End probe
Jon Craig, Cincinnati Enquirer.
Let Ohio Vote Complaint
Mar 2: Sen. Husted, Rep. Letson: Compromise possible on redistricting
COLUMBUS– “The sponsors of competing plans to change how Ohio draws state legislative districts expressed guarded optimism on Monday, March 1, that the House and Senate can agree on a compromise proposal for the November ballot…. Letson and Husted said action is needed within the next two months to 10 weeks. After that, they said, either the Democrats or Republicans will have a better idea of which party is likely to control redistricting under the current system and one or the other one would be unlikely to go along with an overhaul…. Both spoke at a Redistricting Forum Monday in Columbus, sponsored by the Midwest Democracy Network,the League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund and the Money in Politics project of Ohio Citizen Action,” William Hershey, Dayton Daily News.
House Joint Resolution 15
Senate Joint Resolution 5
Mar 2: ‘Citizens United:’ companies can funnel money secretly
WASHINGTON DC -- "While the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision upheld requirements for disclosure of corporate political spending, it also left corporations a significant loophole for escaping disclosure.
That analysis is presented in a New York Times article headlined, 'Decision Could Allow Anonymous Political Contributions by Businesses.' By giving money to trade associations and nonprofit civil leagues, corporations can make anonymous gifts, and the groups then can use the money for political advertising, according to the Times. Nonprofit groups can withhold the identity of donors.
'Clearly, that’s where the action’s going to be,' Kenneth A. Gross, a Washington lawyer and former associate general counsel for the Federal Election Commission, told the newspaper," Peter Hardin, GavelGrab.
Mar 1: Strickland, Kasich travel to other states for additional campaign cash
 COLUMBUS-- "But the staggering amount of money it takes to run requires that candidates spend significant time away from official duties or campaigns to raise funds, said Catherine Turcer, director of Ohio Citizen Action's Money in Politics Project.
And voters may be concerned that when candidates go out of state to raise money, they're meeting with wealthy donors who may be interested in a contract, regulatory change or some other action from the candidate.
'It's not about the fact the money is from another state; it's about why are these people from out of state giving this money,' Turcer said. 'They're not interested in the day-to-day lives of people in Ohio,'" Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.
Mar 1: Lawmaker reviewing Workers' Comp probe of Noe
COLUMBUS-- "A House committee chairman is seeking records and details from an investigation into past investment scandals at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, including interviewing convicted coin dealer Thomas W. Noe in prison last week.
State Rep. Dan Dodd, a Hebron Democrat and chairman of the House Insurance Committee, said he doesn't want to repeat the investigation into Noe's case and other bureau scandals but wants to ensure that all wrongdoing was exposed.
'I think that there are people out there who have not been held accountable for what has happened,' Dodd said. 'I don't know that for a fact because I haven't seen enough of the information. That's why we're trying to gather it,'" Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.
Feb 28: Tom Noe: Contrite, to a point
COLUMBUS-- "Noe is contrite about his federal conviction, saying he selfishly betrayed friends such as former Toledo Mayor Donna Owens and former Lucas County Commissioner Maggie Thurber by giving them the money to illegally donate to Bush in his name. Owens, Thurber and others were convicted of misdemeanor ethics violations.
He knew that was wrong, Noe said, but wanted to help friends and family who could not afford to attend the fundraiser still get the chance to meet the president.
'My God, it was terrible,' he said. 'I mean, the last thing in the world I wanted to do was hurt anybody else. It's bad enough I did it to myself, I certainly didn't want to do it to somebody else,'" Mark Niquette and Joe Hallett, The Columbus Dispatch.
Feb 26: Brunner offers donation rules
Official moves to reshape Ohio’s limits
COLUMBUS-- "Responding to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing corporate expenditures for political campaigns, Ohio's chief elections officer wants new requirements in state law governing such spending.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is asking the legislature to add an amendment to a pending elections bill that would require corporations to disclose all independent political expenditures.
"Obviously, we can't change the Supreme Court's decision, but we can make sure that we provide for transparency and accountability," Brunner said at a news conference yesterday to announce her proposal," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.
Feb 24: The implications of Citizens United
SAN FRANCISCO -- "Finally, Citizens United should put to rest the constant conservative attack on judicial activism. By any measure, Citizens United was stunning in its judicial activism. the deference to the democratic process so often preached by conservatives in attacking liberal rulinghs protecting rights was nowhere in evidence as the conservative majority struck down restrictions on corporate spending that have existed for decades.
Conservatives have lambasted prior decisions protecting rights not stated in the Constitution or intended by its Framers. But there is no evidence that the First Amendment's drafters contemplated spending money in election campaigns as a form of protected speech. Nor did they intend the First Amendment, or any of the Bill of Rights to protect corporations. It was not until 1978, in First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti, 435 U.S. 765 (1978), that the Court first found any First Amendment protection for speech by corporations.
Ultimately, the Court's decision in Citizens United must be understood as a desire by the five most conservative justices to advance the conservative agenda of giving more power and influence to corporations. It should leave little doubt as to who are the activists on the current Court," Erwin Chemerinsky, San Francisco Daily Journal.
More on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Feb 23: Court throws out Ohio's 'revolving door' lobbying law
State can't make ex-lawmakers wait to advocate, federal judge rules
COLUMBUS -- "Ohio lawmakers can step down from office today and start lobbying their colleagues before the weekend begins under a federal court ruling yesterday that tossed out Ohio's "revolving door" law.
For years, Ohio has required former lawmakers and legislative staff members to wait 12 months before being allowed to lobby their former colleagues. The goal, particularly in this age of eight-year term limits, was to limit opportunities for quid pro quos, undue influence or other general corruption.
But the U.S. District Court for southern Ohio tossed out the law, ruling in favor of former state Rep. Tom Brinkman Jr., a Cincinnati Republican who left the legislature because of term limits at the end of 2008 but said he wanted to lobby right away on behalf of the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST)," Jim Siegel, The Columbus Dispatch.
Feb 23: States, Congress wrestle with judicial bias rules
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- "Along with lifetime tenure and broad legal authority, federal judges decide for themselves whether they should step down from a case because of biases that might influence the outcome. Some in the legal community and lawmakers on Capitol Hill are now examining whether to take that power away.... A leading proposal in Congress would require that recusal motions be heard before a second judge, which is similar to what has been adopted by at least 21 states. Another idea, now used in at least 19 states, would give each side a 'strike' mandating a judge step aside when there are questions about impartiality.
At the state level, a key concern is the influence of campaign cash received by elected judges. This was the core issue in last year's landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that state judges could be forced to step aside if one of their contributors has a stake in a case before them. California, Florida and Washington are among those making or contemplating new recusal rules involving campaign donations," Curt Anderson, The Washington Post.
Feb 23: State Sen. Capri Cafaro's dad admits making illegal contribution to her unsuccessful bid for Congress
CLEVELAND -- "State Sen. Capri Cafaro's father admitted Monday that he skirted federal campaign finance law by hiding an illegal contribution to his daughter's unsuccessful 2004 bid for Congress.
Federal prosecutors accused former Youngstown mall developer John Cafaro of concealing a $10,000 loan to the campaign. They charged him Monday with making a false statement in connection with the loan, an offense that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.
Cafaro's attorney Ralph Cascarilla said his client takes responsibility for his actions and plans to plead guilty," Peter Krouse, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Feds target J.J. Cafaro
Peter H. Milliken, Youngstown Vindicator.
Feb 22: Ohio politicians' pockets are bulging as they up the ante on access, for those who can pay
COLUMBUS -- "If you want Ohio politicians to give you the time of day, the annual fee -- as totaled by one of the wisest of Capitol Square's magi -- is now more than $130,000.... What the fundraising frenzy means is that the hidden surcharge for Ohio politics (passed on to Ohio taxpayers as anti-consumer laws, bulging utility bills and sweetheart public contracts) is going through the roof.
The fund-tracker, who prefers not to be named, is a Statehouse lawyer-lobbyist of long standing, a gentleman of the old school -- i.e., a member of an endangered species. He saves every single fundraising invitation he gets. He also keeps track of the price of the cheapest single ticket to each of those events. Then he runs a total," Thomas Suddes, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Feb 22: Brunner probing anti-slots group
Subpoenas seek to identify backers of referendum
COLUMBUS -- "Questions have been swirling for months now about who is funding a group seeking a referendum on whether electronic slot machines should be added at Ohio horse-racing tracks.
Yesterday, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner said she has launched an investigation to find ou t.
Brunner said she has issued subpoenas seeking records and depositions from individuals connected with LetOhioVote.org, the group that wants to put a referendum on the slots plan on the Nov. 2 ballot," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.
Ohio official seeks info on slots group's funding
Julie Carr Smyth, BusinessWeek.
Editorial: Why hide?
Backers of ballot issue should come clean about finances
The Columbus Dispatch.
Feb 19: Most view Census positively, but some have doubts
WASHINTON DC -- "As the federal government gears up for its decennial count of the country’s population, most Americans think the census is very important and say they will definitely participate. But acceptance of and enthusiasm for the census are not universal. Certain segments of the population such as younger people, Hispanics and the less well educated are not as familiar with the census and are less inclined to participate. In addition, there are partisan differences in opinions about the value of the census, and in personal willingness to participate.
The national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press was conducted Jan. 6-10 among 1,504 adults reached on cell phones and landlines. This is the first in a series of studies about the public’s knowledge of and attitudes toward the 2010 U.S. Census," The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.
Feb 17: Editorial: Ohio needs new disclosure law on election money
DAYTON -- "Corporations cannot spend money directly on state elections, under Ohio law. Nevertheless, a bill may soon be pending in the legislature that regulates how they do that. Moreover, the bill is a good idea.
Long story.
The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down the practice of not allowing direct corporate spending on elections. In future federal elections (that is, for Congress and the presidency), corporations — and unions — may spend as much as they want, so long as they don’t contribute directly to candidates.... Whatever one’s expectations, disclosure is desirable. It will cause executives to think harder before jumping into issues that might divide their stockholders or customers. And the public simply has a right to know — whether it has a taste to know or not — where political money is coming from," Dayton Daily News.
Feb 17: Editorials: after ‘Citizens United,’ new disclosure needed
WASHINGTON DC -- "The need for more sunlight on corporate political spending, following the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, lies at the heart of editorials in two major newspapers about proposed congressional fixes.
Referring to upcoming legislation outlined by Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the Baltimore Sun editorialized that 'the approach appears to be right on track: Ban expenditures where possible, toughen reporting requirements, and disclose, disclose, disclose.' The editorial also asked why the proposal lacks provisions for public financing of congressional elections.
A Washington Post editorial labeled the Democrats’ framework an 'important proposal.' Letting corporations spend political money secretly–by channeling donations through trade associations or other groups that are not required to disclose donors–is 'the most dangerous aspect' of Citizens United, the editorial noted," Peter Hardin, Gavel Grab.
Feb 17: Ballot board acts on state Issues 1, 2
COLUMBUS -- "The Ohio Ballot Board voted yesterday to approve official arguments for and against two statewide issues on the May 4 ballot and also gave the green light for a petition drive to begin for a proposed issue in the fall election.
Issue 1 on the May ballot would renew Ohio's Third Frontier program, while Issue 2 would change the location of a proposed Columbus casino from the Arena District to the West Side site of the former Delphi Corp. auto-parts plant.
The Ohio legislature had voted to put both issues on the ballot and submitted arguments for each issue that the board approved without discussion. They will be published statewide and included in the Ohio Issues Report distributed to libraries, county elections boards and other agencies," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.
Feb 16: Former University Heights official must reimburse city for misused funds
COLUMBUS -- "Former University Heights Finance Director Arman Ochoa helped himself to $69,795 in payroll advances and $1,496 in vacation leave overpayments, according to a state audit of fiscal year 2008.
The report from State Auditor Mary Taylor detailed the misuse of funds going back to 2005.
The city has recovered $37,841 and Ochoa is expected to repay the remaining $33,451, officials said. Ochoa was finance director from 2000 until 2009," Tonya Sams, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Feb 15: Ohio Constitution too easy to alter, some lawmakers say
COLUMBUS -- "Recent changes to the state constitution -- and the threat of further alterations this year -- have some state lawmakers worried that it's too easy to mold Ohio's most important legal document around special interests.... But Catherine Turcer, of the government watchdog group Ohio Citizen Action, said the process of amending the constitution is not as easy as some lawmakers portray it.
She opposes the idea of requiring a supermajority because it would hinder one of the last remaining forms of direct democracy -- citizens' ability to gather signatures and put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
'It's like the last tool of ordinary people,' she said," Joe Guillen, Cleveland Plain Dealer. Posted Feb 14.
Overview of Ohio Constitutional amendments, statutes and referenda proposed by petition since 1950
Feb 15: Ohio auditor often working near her Canton home
COLUMBUS -- "State Auditor Mary Taylor is the first statewide executive officeholder in memory to work most of the week from an office outside the state capital.... 'It could raise some eyebrows,' said Catherine Turcer of Ohio Citizen Action, a public watchdog group. 'I think voters have an expectation that our public servants work hard and put in long hours, but I also hope that voters allow for some flexibility.'
Turcer noted that women in particular often are juggling work and children.
'Look at how few women are in the legislature. If you want half the population in elected office, you need to help women become part of the political process,'" Catherine Candisky, The Columbus Dispatch. Posted Feb 14.
Feb 15: Ohio House holds redistricting reform hearing on Wednesday
On Wednesday, February 17, the Ohio House Elections and Ethics Committee is holding a second hearing on House Joint Resolution 15.
Key Points on House Joint Resolution 15, introduced by Representative Letson (D-Warren) as introduced in 2010:
The proposed amendment would create a public competition to draw state legislative district lines
according to a predetermined formula, emphasizing statewide partisan balance, with a lesser role for
competition, and a lesser role still for preservation of municipal boundaries and a particular measure of
compactness. Though Ohio’s present redistricting commission would still exist, it would essentially
become an administrative body, with no discretion to depart from the competition formula. Justin Levitt, Brennan Center for Justice.
Click for more info
Key points on Senate Joing Resolution 5, introduced by Senator Husted (R-Kettering) as passed by the Ohio Senate in 2009:
The proposed amendment would expand Ohio’s present redistricting commission by two incumbents, and
place congressional districts as well as state legislative districts under the commission’s authority. The
commission would emphasize preservation of whole political units and, to a lesser extent, competition
between the major parties. Justin Levitt, Brennan Center for Justice.
Click for more info
Ohio Citizen Action and the League of Women Voters of Ohio are hosting an Ohio Redistricting Forum on March 1, 2010.
For more details please click here.
Feb 12: Cuyahoga County officials approve $111,000 contract for company that employs ex-county employee
CUYAHOGA COUNTY -- "Nearly eight years after Cuyahoga County systems analyst Frank Fragomeni took a buyout, the county is still paying -- through no-bid contracts with his new employer -- for him to work on the county payroll.... Catherine Turcer, legislative director of the watchdog group Ohio Citizen Action, questioned why the county allowed the contracts to continue for eight years.
'It seems so illogical that it seems hard to imagine why they thought it made sense in the first place,' Turcer said. 'There had to be a better way to handle this,'" Laura Johnston, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Feb 11:
Gov. Strickland, in picking Lesser, fills powerful PUCO seat with safe, insider candidate
Steven Lesser |
COLUMBUS -- "Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, on Monday, appointed Steven Lesser as a commissioner of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio for a five-year term beginning April 11, 2010 and expiring April 10, 2015, according to a media release.
Lesser, a resident of the small but affluent city of Bexley near Downtown Columbus, is currently the chief of staff at the PUCO... Ohio Citizen Action spokeswoman Catherine Turcer called on Strickland to seize the opportunity and reshape it: 'Why not rethink the whole process? Why not open the process to public comment? This is the right time... What you want to have at the PUCO is accountability to consumers,'" Cleveland Examiner.
Feb 10:
Redistricting reform is under way in Ohio
'Our current system of drawing the lines is, to put it plainly, a bald-faced partisan process," says Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. (Chuck Crown/Plain Dealer) |
COLUMBUS -- "To overhaul the system, the Democrat-controlled House and Republican-dominated Senate must agree on a plan to put before voters on the Nov. 2 ballot as a constitutional amendment.
House Democrats unveiled their reform plan last week, more than four months after the Senate passed its own resolution to establish new rules for drawing boundaries. Supporters of each plan say their goal is to create more competitive districts and to remove blatant partisanship from the process... Catherine Turcer, of the government watchdog group Ohio Citizen Action, agreed that both plans have merits.
'We have identified a problem. We know the current status quo -- voters are being manipulated,' Turcer said. 'Neither plan is perfect. What we need is a good mix of both and maybe something else thrown in,'" Joe Guillen, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Feb 9: Campaign case may have set course for court
Ruling's impact might be seen in 2nd half of term
WASHINGTON DC -- "As the Supreme Court nears the midpoint of its annual term and prepares to hear several momentous cases, one question looms: Will the justices' split decision reversing past rulings and allowing new corporate spending in political races set the tone for the term, or will Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission be an exception?
'Is this a turning point?' asks Pamela Harris, director of Georgetown Law's Supreme Court Institute. Harris notes that Chief Justice John Roberts' concurring opinion in the campaign-finance case defended reversing past rulings that have been, as Roberts wrote, 'so hotly contested that (they) cannot reliably function as a basis for decision in future cases.'
'That is an incredibly muscular vision of when you would overrule precedent,' which usually guides justices in new cases, Harris says. 'That makes it look like this is a court that's ready to go,'" Joan Biskupic, USA Today.
More on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Feb 9: Additional petition signatures disqualified
COLUMBUS -- "A group hoping to put a referendum on the fall ballot regarding a proposal to add electronic slot machines will need more additional signatures than previously thought.
That's because three county boards of elections reported late last week that they disqualified an additional 937 signatures because petition circulators are felons, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's office said," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.
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